[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1981

[president at nfbofsc.org]

July 28, 2024

Memo To:  Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents &
Others

From:  Marty R. McKenzie, President

Positive Note 1981

843-939-8091  president at nfbofsc.org <mailto:president at nfbofsc.org>  

 

Dear Federation Family,

 

I returned from the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the
Blind (AER) International Conference held in Charlotte, North Carolina on
Saturday, July 27, 2024 where we celebrated the 40th anniversary of AER.
While this seems relatively young for a professional organization, AER
merged in 1984 from two different organizations to form one with a stronger
reach. The origins of AER go back as far as 1853. This year's program had
many terrific sessions for professionals to attend. There were 767
professionals registered for the conference. I note that Carlton Walker
presented at this conference on financial literacy for blind students. It is
important that Federationist be a part of AER as appropriate so that we
remind the professionals who serve us that our authentic experiences have
value and must be honored.

 

We are proud of members of the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina who serve on boards at the national level. As I learn who these
individuals are, I am sharing in the Positive Note. Congratulations to
Belinda Banks on election to the National Organization of Blind Merchants
board at the 2024 convention, to Lori Anne Coley upon her election to the
National Sports and Recreation Division Board at the 2023 convention and to
Steve Cook for his election as president of the National Association of
Guide Dog Users in December, 2022. It is great to see our talent shine at
the national level!

 

Early bird registration for the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina's 68th Annual State Convention is now complete. Beginning Friday,
July 26, 2024, regular registration is $100, student registration is $60 and
children under the age of 18 is $30. If you have not registered for this
event, please do so at https://nfbofsc.org/node/178. If you need assistance
completing this process, please contact me and I will identify someone to
assist you.

 

The deadline for the reduced rate of $112 for convention hotel rooms at the
Embassy Suites has now passed. Hopefully, everyone got their reservations in
on time!

 

In preparation for the memorial service at the state convention, please send
the names of any members in your chapter or division who passed since the
last state convention. Please send names to Melinda Jones at
melindajones0571 at gmail.com <mailto:melindajones0571 at gmail.com>  or call her
at 864-978-3230.

 

Congratulations to the Scholarship class of 2024. This year's winners are
Alena Hamlin, Patrick Ordonez from the Belvadeer Chapter and Elijah Taylor.
We are proud of the accomplishments of our Scholarship Class of 2024!

 

Congratulations to our Palmetto Scholarship Grant winners which assist
first-time attendees to the state convention with their expenses. The
Palmetto Scholarship Grant winners for 2024 are Irving Middleton from the
Charleston Chapter and Contressa Polite from the Greenville Chapter.

 

Seekr Navigation, a new startup from Georgia Tech, is creating an
independent indoor navigation solution tailored for individuals who are
blind or have low vision. To ensure our product meets your needs, we are
conducting short interviews as part of our customer discovery process. We
value your insights and want to make sure our technology provides the best
possible user experience. If you're interested in sharing your feedback,
please contact us at seekr.navigation at gmail.com
<mailto:seekr.navigation at gmail.com>  or call 717-819-2145 for more details.
Thank you for helping us develop a navigation solution that truly works for
you!

 

Lenora Robertson is serving as the Door Prize Chair for the NFB of SC State
Convention. Cash and gift cards are always favorite items. You can purchase
gift cards from the At Large chapter in the amount of $25 or greater. Please
bring your door prize contributions to the convention or you can mail them
to Lenora Robertson, 1258 Roundtree Circle, Rock Hill, SC 29732. Let's have
an abundance of door prizes to share at the state convention.

 

>From Lenora Robertson

Rock Hill Chapter member, Roy Ives, lost his home due to a fire on July 5,
2024 in the morning hours. Mr. Ives is a veteran and is currently staying in
a local motel. His home cannot be repaired and is a total loss. Any
assistance that any chapters or members want to provide is greatly
appreciated. Please send any contributions to Lenora Robertson made payable
to the Rock Hill Chapter with Roy Ives in the memo blank. Lenora's address
is 1258 Roundtree Circle, Rock Hill, SC 29732. Thank you for your
assistance.

 

>From Lori Anne Coley, President, Sports and Recreation Division

Our Sports and Rec fundraiser is extended to August, coinciding with the
state convention. All purchased tickets remain valid. Purchase $20 tickets
for a chance to win big, including a $750 and a $250 giveaway. Contributions
support our Sports Camp Week for the Blind at Rocky Bottom Retreat and
Conference Center of the Blind in Upstate South Carolina. Led by the NFBSC
Sports and Rec Division, our mission is inclusive sports. Purchase tickets
via PayPal at https://www.paypal.me/sportrecnfbsc or Zelle at
srnfbsc21 at yahoo.com. Goal: sell 100+ tickets by August 17, 2024, with the
drawing at the state convention. Spread the word! For more information,
contact Lori Anne Coley at 803-316-9838.

 

>From the SC Association of Black Leaders

The SC Association of Black Leaders is thrilled to announce that we are
extending our coffee basket fundraiser to the State Convention in August!
The basket includes 1 tin of hot chocolate, three flavors of Starbucks
coffee, two NFB tumblers, and a $25 gift card. Tickets are 1 for $5 or 3 for
$10, every $20 spent earns you an entry to win a Keurig! Purchase tickets at
the NFB of SC PayPal or by sending a check or money order to the Federation
Center at 119 S. Kilbourne Rd., Columbia, SC 29205, noting "coffee basket"
in the memo field.

 

Things to Remember

*	National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina State Convention
is August 15-18. 2024 in Columbia, SC.

 

Marty

 

Marty R. McKenzie, President

National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina

119 S. Kilbourne Road

Columbia, SC 29205

Phone: 803-254-3777

Mobile: 843-939-8091

Website: www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org/>  

 

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